The Loose Box food hygiene rating
Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen · Herefordshire
The Loose Box holds a 4, meaning hygiene standards at the restaurant are good. It is a solid result, the inspector found nothing serious, though a 5 was just out of reach.
The rating: 4 - Good
The rating dates from 25 April 2024, more than 2 years ago. A lot can change in a kitchen in that time, and a rating this old says more about the business then than now. Councils prioritise re-inspecting higher-risk premises, so a long gap often means the business is considered low-risk.
Address: Barton Court, Colwall, WR13 6HN
How it compares in Herefordshire
In Herefordshire, 78% of rated places manage a 5, so The Loose Box sits behind roughly 1,217 nearby businesses. 14% of the borough shares its 4.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,217 | 78% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 214 | 14% | ← The Loose Box | |
| 3 out of 5 | 104 | 7% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 19 | 1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 7 | <1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 195 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Generally satisfactory
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At The Loose Box none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Loose Box, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Wellington Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 4 - Good | 27 June 2025 |
| Yew Tree Inn Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.5 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2026 |
| The Elms School Colwall Ltd School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 4 - Good | 27 June 2025 |
| Colwall C of E Primary School School/college/university | 0.8 miles away | 5 - Very good | 27 February 2026 |
| Evendine House Residential Home Caring Premises | 0.9 miles away | 5 - Very good | 3 October 2025 |
Questions about The Loose Box
What is The Loose Box's food hygiene rating?
The Loose Box has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5 (good), given by Herefordshire Council on 25 April 2024.
Is The Loose Box safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 4 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this restaurant to be good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Loose Box last inspected?
The Loose Box was last inspected on 25 April 2024, more than 2 years ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Herefordshire Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Loose Box?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "generally satisfactory". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Loose Box compare to other places in Herefordshire?
78% of the 1,562 rated food businesses in Herefordshire hold the top rating of 5, while The Loose Box holds a 4. 214 places in the area share that rating.
Who decides the rating?
Herefordshire Council inspects The Loose Box and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch The Loose Box and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
Free, for three businesses, forever. No password, we send you a link. How rating alerts work →
Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
Herefordshire inspects and rates 1,757 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Herefordshire →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →